Lamorinda Death Notices

Agnes Ariey, a resident of Lafayette, was born in Santa Clara and lived her entire life in California. She graduated from Alhambra High School in Martinez and College of the Holy Names in Oakland. She received a teaching credential from the U.C. Berkeley. She taught for 30 years, including at elementary schools in Martinez. Ariey died on Jan. 13 at the age of 95.

Marjorie P. Benson, a former resident of Lafayette, served at Mt. Diablo Elementary School and in the American Association of University Women. She also lived in Walnut Creek and Clayton. After retiring as an assistant bank manager for Wells Fargo, she moved to Massachusetts and Ohio to be near her daughter. Benson died on Jan. 14 at the age of 72.

Christian John Herman, a resident of Walnut Creek, grew up in Orinda, graduating from Miramonte High School in 1982. He studied at Harvard and graduated from Principia College with a degree in math and then from U.C. Berkeley with a master's in industrial engineering. Herman worked for several years as a software designer, then ran his own company, CJH Solutions, for 13 years.. In 2013, he joined Brown and Caldwell. Herman died Dec. 30 at the age of 49.

Rolla Bruce Hoffe, a resident of Orinda, was born in Oakland. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He earned a bachelor's degree and a law degree from U.C. Berkeley. He held several jobs in the legal profession before co-founding the firm of Watson & Hoffe, where he worked for 35 years. He was president of the Contra Costa County Bar Association, president of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce and director and legal counsel for the Richmond Country Club. Hoffe died on Jan. 11 at the age of 86.